Du'a before sleeping
Before sleeping we say “Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya” — “In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live”. For little ones: “With Your name, Allah, I go to sleep and I wake up.”
Teacher review under way.
بِاسْمِكَ اللَّهُمَّ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا
Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya
“In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live.”
What it means
“O Allah, with Your name I go to sleep, and with Your name I wake up.”
When we say it
In bed, when the lights go down — the very last words of the day.
How to teach it in 3 steps
Step 1: Make it the last line of your bedtime routine, every night, in the same calm voice.
Step 2: Many families lie on the right side with a hand under the cheek while saying it.
Step 3: Say it slowly together; soon your child will be the one saying it to you.
Questions parents ask
Why does the du'a mention dying?
The Qur'an describes sleep as a little like death: Allah looks after our souls while we sleep and returns them when we wake (Qur'an 39:42). With young children, keep it simple: “With Your name I sleep and wake up.”
What else is part of a sunnah bedtime?
Every night the Prophet (peace be upon him) cupped his hands, blew gently into them and recited the last three surahs of the Qur'an (al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and an-Nas), then wiped his hands over his body, three times (Sahih al-Bukhari 5017). Many families do this with their children. Ask your teacher for the rest of the routine.
Sources: Sahih al-Bukhari 6324 · Hisn al-Muslim (Fortress of the Muslim)
Families and madhhabs differ on some details — ask your teacher.
Keep learning
Big Yawn, Little Hand
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Bedtime Routine and Du'a Poster for Kids
A calm bedtime chart for Muslim children: five steps (brush teeth, wudu, the 3 Quls, Ayat al-Kursi, lie on the right side) and the du'a before sleeping in Arabic with transliteration and meaning.
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